The term “culture of corruption” has become synonymous with the Immigration Department. It arose from the many cases of wrongdoing cited in the special audit conducted by the Auditor General and the behaviour of Immigration officials as well as UDP politicians and agents who ran the affairs of the nation seemingly at their whim. The term was further engraved in the Department when former Finance Officer Teresita Castellanos testified and spoke openly about the culture she witnessed at the Department. But Perdomo doesn’t agree that there was such a culture at Immigration Department. He spoke of the term as if the stories of immigration hustling were simply stories fit to tell jokes over.

Senator Mark Lizarraga – Member Special Senate Select Committee

“Minister, were you aware while you were there of a culture of corruption in the department?”

Carlos Perdomo – Former Minister of Immigration and Nationality

“I wasn’t aware that there was a culture of corruption but in everyday talk with friends and so you know you hear about customs, you hear about Immigration, you hear about police so that is how you hear but I wasn’t aware that there was a culture within the department but you would hear jokes like…this one has big house and like that so.”

Senator Mark Lizarraga – Member Special Senate Select Committee

“That would be a joke?”

Carlos Perdomo – Former Minister of Immigration and Nationality

“I did not know that there was an operative type of thing.”

Senator Mark Lizarraga – Member Special Senate Select Committee

“And that would be a joke, Minister if that one had a big house that would be a joke?”

Carlos Perdomo – Former Minister of Immigration and Nationality

“I said with friends.”

Senator Mark Lizarraga – Member Special Senate Select Committee

“So as Minister of Passport, Nationality and Immigration you were never aware that irregularities were taking place other than jokes with your friends?”

Carlos Perdomo – Former Minister of Immigration and Nationality

“No, no I knew like for example before this case there some irregularities at the airport where the Cuban plane brought people bla, bla we put a stop to the Cuban plane so yes every now and then but the question you had asked me before was that if I was aware of a culture of corruption, I am not, but there are irregularities that come up and so yes I would say yes to those when there are irregularities.”

Senator Mark Lizarraga – Member Special Senate Select Committee

“Minister and my question again was what if any specifics did you do or attempted to do to address these issues?”

Carlos Perdomo – Former Minister of Immigration and Nationality

“For that one at the airport we arrested or took five immigration officers to court, one special branch police, the case took forever and they were finally set free and went back to work so, we tried but it is frustrating sometimes with the how the police set up reports and the public service commission and a whole lot of issues like that which sometime we don’t have control of.”